Manny Ramirez took batting practice with his teammates for the first time this month Tuesday and was expected to start a minor league rehabilitation assignment Wednesday night in San Bernardino with Class A Inland Empire. Although no timetable has been established, Ramirez was expected to play at least three minor league games and if everything goes well, he could be back with the Dodgers by the weekend. But it remained uncertain when All-Star shortstop Rafael Furcal would be ready to play again.

Reporting from San Diego Casey Blake didn't want to talk about Manny Ramirez . Neither did Matt Kemp . But Andre Ethier and Rafael Furcal took several minutes in the visiting clubhouse at Petco Park to share their fond recollections of Ramirez, who retired Friday instead of facing a 100-game suspension for violating baseball's drug policy for a second time. Asked whether Ramirez was a good teammate, Ethier replied, "One hundred percent. One of the best.

Reporting from San Francisco If Clayton Kershaw continues to pitch the way he's pitched, who knows how many games he can win? And if Matt Kemp continues to run the way he's run, who knows how many bases he can steal? On a night that started with the Dodgers and San Francisco Giants taking the field in a pregame ceremony to remind fans at AT&T Park that they shouldn't attack each other, the chants of "Beat-L.-A. " that followed were soon muted by Kershaw's arm and Kemp's legs.

For Dodgers fans, the non-waiver trade deadline Sunday was a cruel reminder of the once-proud franchise's place on baseball's landscape. Bankrupt and out of contention, the team was reduced to making minor deals, shipping Rafael Furcal to the St. Louis Cardinals to save $1.4 million and set up a two-month audition for shortstop prospect Dee Gordon. And this might be the worst part: the team Dodgers fans most hate put itself in position to once again bombard them with images of men with overgrown beards hoisting the World Series trophy and waving red thongs.

A day after a fire broke out at Dodger Stadium, Clayton Kershaw doused the remnants of a formidable lineup. The Dodgers starter completed the second shutout of his career and provided a few sparks for his offensively challenged team Sunday afternoon during an 8-0 victory over the Florida Marlins. The hit totals: Marlins two, Kershaw two. While Kershaw had a pair of sharp singles, one of Florida's hits was a not-so-routine fly ball that fell in left field after being buffeted by swirling winds.

Reporting from Philadelphia Dee Gordon might have benefited from playing out the remainder of the triple-A season and waiting until September for his first major league call-up, General Manager Ned Colletti conceded. But the Dodgers couldn't wait, not with Rafael Furcal on the disabled list. So, the Dodgers called up their top position player prospect Monday, the same day they activated infielder Juan Uribe , outfielder Marcus Thames and reliever Blake Hawksworth . The Dodgers cleared room on their active roster by sending John Ely and Ivan De Jesus Jr. to triple-A Albuquerque and designating Juan Castro and Jay Gibbons for assignment.

By major league standards, Dee Gordon is a little small. The Dodgers' slender 23-year-old shortstop is of about average height at 5 feet 11, but sitting next to Aaron Miles in the locker room, Gordon's arms look like twigs to Miles' tree branches. However, Gordon's stature issues may cease to exist as of Sunday — not because he plans to add to his 150-pound frame, but because he may no longer be a major leaguer. Before the Dodgers' game Friday night against the Angels, Manager Don Mattingly said that Rafael Furcal is tentatively scheduled to come off the disabled list before Sunday's game.

On the night the Dodgers moved to within a victory of securing a spot in the postseason by claiming a 7-6 victory over the Washington Nationals, their $25-million left fielder turned himself into the highest-paid press officer in baseball history. Still wearing his uniform pants, a sweaty Manny Ramirez put his arm around the first reporter he saw and said, "You're going to talk to Raffy, right? Go talk to Raffy." But Rafael Furcal, who was four for five and hit a solo home run to break a 6-6 stalemate in the eighth inning, wasn't at his locker.

Cincinnati 3, Dodgers 1 AT THE PLATE: This wasn't a good night for the veteran infield trio of Rafael Furcal, Casey Blake and Juan Uribe, who were a combined 0 for 8 with three strikeouts. Regulars Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier and James Loney took the game off. ON THE MOUND: Hiroki Kuroda became the first Dodger starter to give up an earned run this spring, as he was charged with two runs and six hits in 21/3 innings. But Kuroda said he was pleased with his curveball, a pitch he has wanted to add to his arsenal for the last decade.

at Philadelphia 4, Chicago 1 (13 innings): Jayson Werth's three-run homer in the 13th inning gave the Phillies their 10th straight victory, their longest win streak since 1991, when they won 13 in a row from July 30 to Aug. 12. at Houston 11, St. Louis 6: The Astros' three homers included Carlos Lee's grand slam. Houston trails the Cardinals by two games in the NL Central.